03 12 14 Roswell Daily Record

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Roswell Daily Record THE VOICE OF THE PECOS VALLEY

Vol. 123, No. 62 75¢ Daily / $1.25 Sunday

March 12, 2014

Chaves County candidates file for primary JILL MCLAUGHLIN RECORD STAFF WRITER

County candidates officially filed for primary election Tuesday, with 13 filing for office. But at the end of the day, only three races will be contested. Commissioner James Duffey, a Republican, again will face Eloy Ortega in District 1. Four years ago, Duffey narrowly defeated Ortega, a retired building contractor and Roswell Independent School District board member. “I’ll have a tough race again this time,” Duf fey said. “I’m looking forward to the campaign.” Duffey planned to begin knocking on doors to meet constituents, he said.

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As chairman of the commission, Duffey continues to work on several issues. He is involved with fighting for county rights in issues regarding the lesser prairie chicken, and hopes to continue construction progress with the Chaves County Detention Center that has proceeded on time and within budget. Water issues, agriculture, development at the air base, and oil and gas development are central to Duffey’s work on the commission and his campaign, he said. Jobs creation remains the main focus, though, he said. “Jobs are still the most important thing in our county,” Duffey said. “We

need to create more jobs. There are lots of opportunity to grow, expand and utilize the industry we have. Hopefully, we can keep expanding business. We’re sitting on a gold mine.” Eloy Ortega, a Democrat, said he wanted to run again because he wanted to address the problem of illegal drugs in the county. “I have some issues that I would like the county to address and get the school district involved,” Ortega said. “The biggest problem in the county is illegal drugs, especially meth.” Ortega said, if elected, he would like the sheriff and county commissioners to sponsor a program of sending deputies to every school, more than once a

year, to inform the schools about illegal drugs. “Right now, I can tell you it’s the worst problem in this county,” Ortega said. “If I win, that’s the top priority. That’s the main reason I’m running. Being on the school board, I’ll be able to get some things done, if they agree. You never know.” Ortega lost by just a couple of votes. He said he had a lot of relatives and friends who didn’t vote last time. But the district had changed this election. Republican Will Cavin filed for County Commission in District 5, a seat vacated by Commissioner Greg Nibert. Nibert, who See PRIMARY, Page A3

Reins for Life to receive some movie proceeds

Mark Wilson Photo

Dr. Leonard Blach, center, and Mark Allen, far right, co-owners of 2009 Kentucky Derby champion Mine That Bird, along with Allen's assistant, Don England, second from left, met with Cecelia McCraw of Galaxy 8, left, and Terry Bogle of Reins for Life (on horseback, second from right), at the Reins for Life ranch, Wednesday, for a media session to discuss the premiere of “50 to 1,” the story of Mine That Bird's rise from obscurity to unanimously being voted New Mexico 2009 Horse of the Year. The movie will premiere 7 p.m., Friday, March 21, at Galaxy 8, with a meet and greet prior to the showing. Some of the proceeds from the movie will be donated to Reins for Life, which provides horseback therapy for people with mental, physical and emotional disabilities.

WEDNESDAY

Jill McLaughlin Photo

Will Cavin, a Republican, is running unopposed for County Commission Dist. 5. Commissioner Greg Nibert, right, cannot run for a third term due to term limits.

Martinez signs $6B state budget RIO RANCHO (AP) — Gov. Susana Martinez signed a $6 billion state budget on Tuesday, but she eliminated pay raises for judges, district attorneys and appointed government workers. Martinez cut spending about $27 million with lineitem vetoes, including $2.4 million that lawmakers had provided for 8 percent salary increases for judges and district attorneys and about 3 percent raises for workers in appointed government positions. The governor approved money that will provide an average of 3 percent salary increases for rank-and-file state employees — in classified jobs with civil service protections — as well as public school workers. Some state employees will receive larger increases, including state police, prison guards and social workers who handle childabuse cases. Entry-level teachers also will get larger pay raises

because the measure provides money to boost their minimum salaries to $32,000 from $30,000 for a nine-month contract. The gover nor vetoed a provision that would have required school districts to raise minimum salaries for other teachers by $2,000 — to $42,000 for a “level two” teacher and $52,000 for a “level three” teacher. However, school districts still have the option of giving the increases because the governor eliminated only the language mandating the raises. The money for the higher minimum salaries remains in the budget and will flow to schools as part of about $2.5 billion that is distributed through New Mexico’s school-funding formula. Districts have flexibility to decide how to spend state aid they receive through the formula. The governor said judges are among the highest-paid

DOE approves WIPP Officer dragged by vehicle during traffic stop workforce proposal

Nuclear Waste Partnership submitted a plan on Monday to the U.S. Department of Energy to fully utilize the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant workforce to lead recovery activities from two recent incidents.

The DOE approved the plan outlined by NWP on Tuesday, calling for the utilization of the workforce at WIPP. Under this plan, all workers currently assigned to WIPP will

be needed during recovery ef forts, according to a DOE news release. “The Department understands the value of utilizing the experience and expertise of the NWP workforce in all aspects for recovering from the recent fire and radiation release incidents,” said Joe Franco, manager of DOE’s Carlsbad Field Office.

See WIPP, Page A3

JESSICA PALMER RECORD STAFF WRITER

One Roswell Police officer was dragged 30 feet by a vehicle and two patrol units were damaged when officials attempted to catch a male subject, identified as Brian Rudlof f, 36, of Odessa, Texas. According to a news release, the incident occurred around 10:20 p.m., Monday, when an officer pulled Rudloff over at the intersection of Third and Main Street. The officer asked Rudloff

Courthouse dogs Molly, left, and Max get acclimated to the Chaves County Courthouse as the 5th Judicial District Attorney's Office hosted a training session, Wednesday.

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TODAY’S FORECAST

investigated.

Rudlof f’s vehicle was later located in the parking lot of Comfort Inn on North Main St., where it had been abandoned. Rudloff was not registered as a guest.

RPD detectives are searching for Rudloff. He is described 5 feet, 9 inches tall and 145 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes. Anyone who knows of Rudloff’s whereabouts, is urged to contact the Roswell Police Department (624-6770), or Crime Stoppers (1-888-594-8477).

Rudloff

Training session teaches about courthouse dogs

JESSICA PALMER RECORD STAFF WRITER

Mark Wilson Photo

to get out of the vehicle for a field sobriety test. The release states that while he was still inside the vehicle, Rudloff reached over as if to grab something. The officer then leaned into the vehicle to stop Rudlof f when he started driving. The officer was pulled along with the vehicle. Additional of ficers responded to the scene. An accident occurred between two patrol cars in the 3000 block of Detta Loop. The first vehicle hit a pole and a second collided with the first. The accident is being

See BUDGET, Page A3

Courthouse dogs Molly B. and Max held their debut in District Court, Tuesday. Roswell’s celebrity and CASA dog Moose put in an appearance as staff gathered to meet the two Labs. Max is one of three who will be placed in southeast New Mexico. One will eventually come to stay in Roswell with carer / handler District Attorney

• DANIEL R. LICON • FRANK WILLIAM MOSER • MERLE ROY REYNOLDS

Janetta Hicks and her Chaves County alternates, Angela Valdez and Omega Day. The process of approval has been lengthy. Hick’s said that their office applied in December or January. However, the initial application required background information, along with back-up documentation, before it could be submitted. They received their approval from Assistance Dogs of the Southwest in February.

TODAY’S OBITUARIES PAGE A6

To date, Hicks has gone through four interviews. Each handler goes through the same, interviews and home inspections. The Hicks household got the Max stamp of approval on Monday. The courthouse dogs were taken to the local dog park to meet the Hicks family hounds. Ellen O’Neill-Stephens, former prosecutor and founder of Courthouse Dogs Foundation said there are 60 courthouse dogs in 23 states. New Mexico has

CLASSIFIEDS ..........B6 COMICS .................B5 ENTERTAINMENT .....A8 FINANCIAL ..............B3

six of them, placing it as one of the top states in the country. Two of the New Mexico courthouse dogs are placed with the DA’s office in Taos, one CASA dog in Albuquerque, and one in Hobbs. Roswell has two. When Chaves County Courthouse becomes the seventh location, it will be a forerunner in the state, with a total of three. However, Chaves County See DOGS, Page A3

INDEX GENERAL ...............A2

HOROSCOPES .........A8 LOTTERIES .............A2

OPINION .................A4

SPORTS .................B1

WEATHER ..............A8


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